The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-02-12

Courts While in company with another o
while practicing alone, he succeeded In Cd
tanning large share Of the business OF hi
profession Like his partners, he also be
came judge.
During his practice Mt the bar he was en-
caged in many imp ,rtant causes, both ciyl
ii criminal, in all the courts Among then
all there was no one in which he felt 40 deel
an interest IA ia that Of the People, sc, vs.
Slgaor, indicted for the murder OF his we
AT E,rlville, in which he Was for the de-
| fenlaut While nearly every one believed
the prisoner glity, he always hal m ao'd
+ ing conviction that the cause OF the vile
dea, h WAS an acci dental fall while desceding
the cellar stairs The defendants account
of the affair was, that on putting a barre
partly filed with potatoes down the stars
which were Of the kind with boards fo'
steps. supported at he ends upon cleats, the
barrel slipped and ruck agains, the end Of
one Of the cleats, SO as TO split it along the
line Of the nails into two pieces that he
threw these pieces up into the kitchen to De
used As kidding, and AZ they were not found,
they were undoubtedly burned; that to
make the steps temporarily secure anu be
ing in hurry to get to his shop re took a
Ratchet and pounded the step down until 1t
rested upon the projecting ends OF the nnlls'
Upon his return from the shop at meal time
he brought with him material Tor II new
clcat. and ascertained that while he was gone
his wife must have taken in her hands a
crock Of milk, with n Plate or cake piac eu
on top of it to carry down cellar; that then
she stepped upon the step, which rested on
the nails, it gave way and she fell headIong
against the cellar wall at the bottom OF the
stairway and was killed. From the evidence
it appeared that there were wounds and
bruises on the heal such as would have re
suited from the head coming in contact with
the two walls OF the cellar at the angle form.
cd by their union. There was on the fore.
part Of one leg Of the deceased and about
half way between her knee and ankle
wound several inches long, showing clearly
that the point where the injury commenced
was nearest to the ankle, and that the scrap
irg Of the skin was toward the knee The
step had fallen and on the bottom Of the
board we're the marks OF nails with which
it had been in contact. On the bottom OF
the cellar we're found the ends Of the broken
nails. Broken pieces Of the CROCK. pieces OF
cake and spilled milk we're found on and at
the bottom Of the stairs, and marks made by
the head of the Ratchet we're found on the
board. While it may be possible, as there
WAS evidence of unfriendly relations and
threats, that all these circumstances might
have been manufactured 10 create an errone.
Gus impre sion ~ to the cause of death. there
was that ia them aud in the air and manner
with wAloh they were told by Signor that
impressed counsel with firm and lasting
belief that the death was an accidental one
a. stated.
On first trial the jury found the prisoner
guilty of murder and death by hanging as
the punishment A new trial was granted
by Judge HOLSTER, and on n second trial
The defendant was acquitted The evidence
was substantially the same on both trials,
and the deiberation Of the jury very short
in both instances. A lawyer who has never
had experience never can possibly imagine
The fearful mental strain of one who fully
believes that his client thus convicted Of
murder WAS innocent. The counsel still be.
!ieve. that the wife took the crock Of milk,
with the plate Of cake on top Of it, and holding
II in both hands, stepped upon the weakened
step; that it gave way, that the lower part
Of the leg came in contact with the edge of
the next step, and that she fell heaulong
against the cellar wall and was killed by
of the brain. Signor, after his
acquittal, went to Earlville but public senti
ment was 80 much against him that he could not
live there and he went west. Whether he is
now l.yins or dead is not known to Judge
Leland. A. j. Grover, who assisted in the
defence, and who also though, him innocent,
o nee saw him or learned where he WAS after
he left Earlville. 1t may be thar some Of
the Esrlville leople know what has become
of him.
(TJ be coa'ured.)
A Correction.
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